As a leader, pause and consider the kind of workplace culture you foster. Do you tend to motivate your team with surprise rewards or host quarterly team-building activities? Malachi Thompson III, a leadership and performance consultant, coach, speaker and writer, says that your internal philosophy on how people should be treated drives your leadership behavior and calibrates the degree of positive impact you have on your team.

When you exercise strong emotional intelligence, your daily habits and behavior will reflect values of trust, encouragement, self-awareness and collaboration. In this issue of Promotional Consultant Today, we share Thompson’s four daily habits that can make a positive impact on your team.

1. Start the day with recognition. People are used to receiving rewards and recognition after a job well done. However, Thompson challenges leaders to reverse it. If you know that your employees have a full plate, let them know you foresee their strengths and their ability to get the job done. Recognize that they have some challenges ahead and remind them that you’re there to support them if they need help. You could simply check in throughout the day or bring them lunch when you know they’re pressed for time. Look for ways to serve your team.

2. Be willing to go into battle with your people. Leaders who are most successful at solving their team’s problems and driving high performance know their people. They empathize strongly with their team’s experiences. They know what rejection feels like for salespeople and they stand up for employees who are disrespected or treated poorly by clients. When you defend your employees and their values and principles, your team members will remember how you made them feel and will feel indebted to go into battle for you as well.

3. Have deeper conversations. Instead of just talking business, Thompson encourages leaders to discuss what they believe in. Strike conversations that touch the heart and mind if you want to form greater bonds with your employees. You don’t have to share your deepest secrets or personal thoughts but consider discussing what frustrates you or saddens you along with what brings you the most joy. Share your insights and ask and listen for theirs. When people see and feel that you’re a human just like them, they’ll relax and feel more comfortable being themselves at work. They’ll feel free to perform at their best.

4. Create opportunities for your team members to grow. Nurturing a growth mindset positively impacts confidence, performance, creativity and productivity. However, don’t assign simply assign people to training. Not everyone on your team is motivated to learn and that’s okay. Thompson suggests encouraging them to end each day reviewing three things they learned today that they didn’t know yesterday. When you approach them this way, they might enjoy the expanded way of thinking.

By following the guidance above, you can positively impact your team and create a thriving culture.

Source: Malachi Thompson III is a leadership and performance consultant, coach, speaker and writer. He spent more than a decade leading high-performing military teams. Thompson writes about how leadership and culture, team dynamics and mindset create the environment for teams to win when it matters most.